Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 78

Chapter 78

The pressure on my shoulders and waist was impossible to ignore.
I paused for a moment, lost in my own head, but I knew I had to start moving. Any more delay and we would miss our chance to depart today.
Grandfather Mandok Shingun and the members of the Venom Blood Squad stood in formation behind me, waiting.
“…Hey, everyone?”
— Gukku?
— Tssrrt?
— Ksssh?
I heard their casual replies, as if asking why I had spoken up.
Seeing their relaxed attitudes, I slapped my own forehead hard enough for the sound to ring out.
— Smack!
“No, what I mean is… You need to release me so your father can go…”
Once again, I found myself puffing out my cheeks at their behavior.
We had spent the last several days getting ready for this journey. Our initial destination was Kunming, a city in Yunnan, and from there we would venture deep into the jungles to a location known as Ainei Mountain.
“Did you just say… Venomous Creatures Valley!?”
“Correct. Venomous Creatures Valley.”
‘Wait, seriously? A place with a name that sounds like a dream come true actually exists?’
According to the Tang Clan’s historical documents, the region was described as a forest of strange rock formations, with Venomous Creatures Valley at its core. The valley was supposedly overflowing with rare and mysterious venomous insects and snakes.
“The venomous beings of Ainei Mountain are highly unusual. The most significant among them are said to reside near the lake in the very heart of Venomous Creatures Valley…”
A place like that was impossible for me to disregard.
For someone like Spicy Fabre, the terms “paradise” and “Venomous Creatures Valley” meant almost the same thing.
That’s why I had already made preparations at the Venomous Creatures Garden—drying the extra crickets and mealworms to be used as treats and supplements.
While a few members were unhappy about remaining, half of the Venom Blood Squad stayed behind at the Tang Clan to manage the garden. Operating the facility required at least that many hands.
The person I put in command was Deputy Commander Song Na-ok.
Why appoint a woman so soon after she joined? The squad required a designated leader to issue commands, and it would have been awkward if she lacked an official rank.
With the preparations finished, I met with O-Gong, Seok-cheok, and Yo-hwa the day before we were to leave to clarify the situation.
I needed to be certain they wouldn’t search for me in my absence.
“Your father has matters to attend to outside and will be gone for a short while. I need you all to remain here and obey your mother, understood? Cho, look after your younger siblings. Hyang, don’t make things difficult for Mom. Bini, if you miss me, just be strong for a few days.
Seol and Bing, you two must listen to your elder sister.”
— Tssssrrr…
— Gukku!?
O-Gong and the rest, who were usually so attached to me, let out soft, unhappy sounds, while Seol and Bing cried out in surprise.
Since O-Gong was already aware of the circumstances, I assumed Seol and Bing were just reacting to the news. I offered them a brief explanation.
“I’m going to find some new friends. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for all of you to have more companions? I’ll return before you know it, so please be good and mind your mother and elder sister, alright?”
— Tssssrrr…
— Gukku…
After I reassured them again, the O-Gong group and Seol and Bing finally replied, though they still seemed reluctant.
Persuading those five was manageable.
But then, I heard a questioning hiss—it was Yo-hwa, seeming to ask, “And what about me?”
— Ksssh?
“The men from the Venom Blood Squad will visit each morning to supply you with yang energy. So don’t be concerned, simply…”
— Ksssissh!
Before I could finish, Yo-hwa’s imitation body, which took the form of my dear elder sister, crossed her arms and looked at me with clear disdain.
A flawlessly icy expression. My favorite.
A sound that very clearly meant absolutely not.
I knew the reason perfectly well.
Yo-hwa didn’t need yang energy every day—only now and then. And ever since arriving at the Tang Clan, she had rejected taking it from anyone else.
Based on what my father-in-law and Grandfather Mandok Shingun said, the clan records indicated that Face-Snatching Spiders would suspend their victims from trees and consume their yang energy until death. Yet, oddly, Yo-hwa was selective—she would only take yang energy from one person.
She would only turn to others if she was truly starving.
I begged her with all my heart.
“Can’t you please bend the rules this one time, Yo-hwa? I truly must go. I’m asking for a special favor.”
Even in my previous life, going on trips was a rare event.
The insects, reptiles, and amphibians I looked after didn’t require daily feeding, but extended travel was still out of the question.
When I reached a million subscribers and traveled overseas, I had to arrange for someone to care for my animals before I could depart.
And now, things weren’t all that different.
Back then, I just hired someone to handle feeding and cleaning. Now, I had to ask intelligent beings for their consent.
‘This is more challenging than my past life. At least then I didn’t need their approval. Even getting my elder sister—my fated wife— to agree wasn’t this hard…’
Finally, after pleading as if my life was on the line, Yo-hwa gave in.
It appeared she enjoyed being embraced in her imitation body form.
She was stubborn at first, but when I held her fake form in a desperate hug, she flushed and yielded.
“Yo-hwa, please, I’m asking you.”
— K-Kssh!
Her cry meant Alright! Now release me!
Once that tumultuous scene concluded, I was at last granted leave to go.
And now, today, as I prepared to depart with the expedition, they showed up, presumably to wish me farewell.
But when we got to the Nine-Tiered Gates, they suddenly latched onto me again.
— Tssrrrt!
— Ksssh!
— Gukku!
Just as I was stepping out, Seol, Bing, and O-Gong rushed at me, each claiming a position.
O-Gong and Seok-cheok were normally rivals, always competing for my or my elder sister’s shoulders. Today, however, they worked together—O-Gong on my right shoulder, Seok-cheok on my left.
And behind me, Yo-hwa held me in a tight embrace.
At first, I believed they were simply saying goodbye.
I thought they wanted a proper farewell since we would be separated for a time.
“The little ones must be feeling sorrowful, So-ryong.”
Grandfather, the Venom Blood Squad, and the Venom Blood Squad warriors all smiled kindly.
But even after allowing them ample time, they still refused to release me.
“…Everyone? No, truly, you must let me go so your father can depart…”
When I begged once more, Yo-hwa suddenly lifted me onto her back in a princess carry and moved to the front of the group.
— Kssh!
She pointed across the river, making it evident that she would be heading the expedition.
My elder sister looked astonished.
“So-ryong… I believe they intend to accompany you.”
“Th-That can’t be. I explained it all! They understood, didn’t they?”
I turned to look, and every one of them nodded in agreement.
‘Wait… You can’t be serious! Are you truly planning to join Dad on his work trip?’
It appeared these little ones were indeed coming along.

***
No matter how I tried to reason with them, I couldn’t get the children to release me. In the end, I was forced to bring them along.
This meant we had to revise our expedition’s travel plans and roster. However, taking all of them wasn’t feasible.
The others were manageable, but Yo-hwa posed a problem.
The rest could conceal themselves within my robes or be carried in the special containers we used for venomous creatures. But Yo-hwa?
I couldn’t very well transport a gigantic spider with a human upper body in plain sight.
Walking around with her would undoubtedly draw stares.
Actually, it would do more than that.
According to my elder sister, the local people held a profound fear of supernatural beings. Folklore about demons and monsters was common, meaning they might instantly decide Yo-hwa was some kind of evil spirit.
Even the tales of O-Gong transforming into a dragon stemmed from that same superstition. If the situation turned sour, they might even organize a mob to hunt her down.
As an Inmyeon Jiju (Face-Snatching Spider), Yo-hwa was an especially infamous figure in these local legends. If we weren’t cautious, we could be arrested by local officials for causing a public disturbance.
So, once again, I had to appeal to Yo-hwa.
“Yo-hwa, I can conceal the others in my clothing, but you are too large. If we bring you, it will frighten people.
Naturally, I want you with me. How could I not desire the company of my gorgeous Yo-hwa? But Hwa-eun says people might think you are a monster and try to hurt you.
The mere idea of someone throwing a stone at you makes me feel ill and disoriented.”
Even if it upset her, I needed to be direct about the reality of the situation.
Yo-hwa listened silently, then turned her imitation body—the one resembling my elder sister—as if to examine herself.
‘Hold on… can she actually see herself?’
I had thought her eyes were merely remnant organs, but perhaps I was wrong.
Just as I began to think she might be persuaded—
— Tssssrrr…
A peculiar sound, like something fading away.
Then, Yo-hwa’s entire form disappeared from sight.
“…What!?”
Only her imitation body, her pedipalps disguised as my elder sister, remained visible.
“W-what!? Yo-hwa, what did you do!? Where is your magnificent body!?”
Her glorious, enormous spider form had vanished in an instant.
I rushed to where she had been and stretched out my hands—and felt the soft, fuzzy texture of her fur under my fingers.
Thank goodness. She hadn’t truly disappeared.
She had merely made herself invisible.
“Goodness, you gave me a fright… But wait, Yo-hwa, you can conceal your body like this!?”
From my viewpoint, it seemed as though her lower half had completely disappeared, leaving only her human-like upper torso suspended in the air.
Now I finally comprehended why those who had their yang energy drained by Yo-hwa at the Namgung estate had reported seeing a heavenly maiden.
Back then, I assumed they were delusional.
But if they witnessed a beautiful woman hovering just above the ground… yes, that would certainly look like a celestial being.
“You all are constantly amazing me.”
I let out a long breath to settle my pounding heart.
— Tssrrt?
Yo-hwa folded her arms and lifted her chin, as if saying, Is that good enough for you?
She had revealed a hidden ability to demonstrate her resolve to come.
I could only agree.
It was obvious that nothing would prevent her from following me.
“Alright… Let’s go.”

***
Two Days Later

In the end, my elder sister was required to join the expedition.
There was no one else to supervise the children, and since they were all accompanying us, she was compelled to follow.
Managing all of them by myself was unthinkable, so her involvement became essential.
“It appears I have no other option but to accompany you,” she said with a sigh.
“It would seem so, Hwa-eun.”
She assembled the children before her and addressed them sternly.
“You chose not to heed your mother and instead clung to your father. That means you must be on your best behavior for the entirety of this trip. Is that clear?”
I scratched my head, feeling apologetic.
The children, properly scolded, nodded their agreement.
— Tssrrr…
— Gukku!
And so, accompanied by half of the Venom Blood Squad, half of the Venom Blood Unit, Grandfather Mandok Shingun, my sister, and our venomous companions, we began our journey to Yunnan.
My heart raced with anticipation.
We were going to collect a vast number of venomous creatures.
Our first waypoint was Panzhihua, a village on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan where I had once obtained the Golden Wasp Kings.
From there, we would journey through Kunming, the largest city in Yunnan, and ultimately arrive at our goal: Ainei Mountain.
Walking at a brisk pace, we moved through the capital of Sichuan and then the region close to Emei Mountain.
It was there that we came across something unanticipated.
A inspection point had been established on the main road.
As we drew near, a group of nuns from the Emei Sect came forward.
“Are you not from the Sichuan Tang Clan? Goodness, it is Elder Mandok Shingun himself!?”
The nuns were visibly astonished to see us.
I had been curious about the purpose of the checkpoint, but it seemed that following the reappearance of the Blood Cult, the various sects had initiated roadside examinations.
The Emei Sect had positioned their checkpoint near the route leading to the Orthodox Martial Arts Sects.
“We are journeying to Yunnan on business. Do we have permission to proceed?” Grandfather Mandok Shingun inquired.
“Of course, Elder Mandok Shingun,” the nun in charge responded at once.
With his standing as a renowned authority in the Central Plains, Grandfather was naturally granted passage without issue.
However, just as we were about to move through the checkpoint—
The lead nun let out a sharp gasp.
“W-wait! That is Lingkong Xudao! Has the Poison Flower acquired a supreme Qinggong skill!?”
The guards at the checkpoint and the other nuns all spun around to stare in amazement.
I was bewildered for a moment—until I tracked their gaze.
They were looking at Yo-hwa.
Or more precisely, Yo-hwa’s imitation sister form.
Because her enormous spider body was invisible, it genuinely appeared as though my elder sister was floating slightly above the ground.
And since my sister was dressed in masculine martial robes with her face entirely hidden by a veil, the nuns had misidentified her as a male martial artist employing an advanced Qinggong technique.
Grandfather later clarified that Lingkong Xudao was a mythical Qinggong skill—the highest level of terrestrial movement.
Hovering in the air, appearing ethereal and without weight—it was no surprise they were stunned.
We encountered a handful of similar confusions during our travels, but we ultimately reached Yunnan without significant difficulty.
In time, we arrived near Yimen—the entrance to Ainei Mountain.
“That should be Ainei Mountain. I am eager to behold Venomous Creatures Valley.”
I looked ahead, my heart thumping with excitement.
If Venomous Creatures Valley was real, then that place was a personal paradise.
But the instant we entered the Yimen area, something felt… wrong.
The moment we stepped into the region, the customary sounds of the wild—crickets at night, cicadas in the day, birds calling, even the far-off sounds of creatures—were utterly absent.
Even though I had been gathering insect samples throughout our journey, I abruptly could not locate a single bug.
There were no creatures beneath stones, in the crevices of cliffs, or among the trees.
It was as though something had thoroughly purged the area of life.
“How peculiar… This sensation is just like when we went to capture the Blue-Spotted Centipede,” Grandfather muttered.
Gu Pae and the Venom Blood Squad Leader traded serious looks.
But to me, this wasn’t bad news.
‘No, no, this isn’t an issue—this is wonderful news!’